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New Laws Arrive Next Month to Help Patients, Doctors

Aug 22, 2013

New laws take effect on Sept. 1 that will help patients and physicians across Texas.

“Anytime you can cut red tape that delays patient care and costs everyone more money, increase funding for mental health and women’s health care services, protect babies from diseases, and help keep young doctors in Texas, you’ve made good progress — and the Texas Legislature has accomplished these things,” said Stephen L. Brotherton, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association (TMA).

Each of these laws becomes effective Sept. 1.

Red-Tape Reduction

Widespread reductions in medical practice red tape, including development of a uniform prior-authorization form to be used by all health insurance payers in 2015 for prescription drugs and for medical procedures. This will simplify and speed up the delivery of care to patients, because doctors’ offices will have to process just one form instead of shuffling through nearly 50 forms just for one health plan. Doctors’ offices spend an average of more than $80,000 per year shuffling insurance paperwork.

Physicians/staff can check in patients using the electronic strip on Texas driver license

SB 644

Sen. Joan Huffman (R- Houston); Rep. John Zerwas, MD (R-Simonton)

Requires the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to appoint a stakeholder workgroup to design a standard prescription drug prior-authorization form applicable across all payers, including Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program, for use starting in 2015

SB 1216

Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler); Rep. Sarah Davis (R-Houston)

Requires TDI to appoint a stakeholder workgroup to design a standard request form for prior authorization of health care services, applicable to all payers for use starting in 2015

Regulates companies/networks that sell, lease, or share physician discounts without the physician’s knowledge or consent

SB 1

Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands); Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie)

Increases spending in the state budget for mental health, substance abuse services, and women’s health services; restores funding for the state’s Physician Education Loan Repayment Program and takes steps to reverse the 2011 cuts made to graduate medical education funding

Allows a minor who is pregnant or is a parent to consent to his or her own immunizations

SB 64

Senator Nelson; Representative Zerwas

Requires licensed child care facilities to develop and implement an immunization policy for their employees who care for the children

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 47,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 112 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.